It is desirable when fishing from a boat or a stream, to place the bait at a desired location within the current or water behind the moving boat. To this end, various apparatus have been developed to facilitate movement of the bait in response to forward motion of the boat or water current.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,255,465 to Hickey discloses another form of float. This float is provided with features to facilitate a "zig-zag" motion to lateral sides of a boat or other appropriate station. The float moves angularly against the current to pull the fish line to one side of the fisherman. In order to switch directions, the user must "whip the line" in order to move a ring that slides along a longitudinal rod on the float to shift the direction of pull and alter the angular orientation of the float. No disclosure is made of an apparatus for releasing the float from its angular orientation to allow normal play and landing of a fish.
A directional float apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,798,331 to Westdahl. This device is described as a trolling float and basically represents an obstruction that is held angularly against the current, from the shore or from a moving boat. The angular orientation of the float relative to the fish line, causes the float to move in a laterally outward direction, away from the boat or the user's station along the shore of a moving body of water. The amount and direction of lateral travel is determined by the side of the device to which the line is attached.
Alternate motion of the float to an opposite direction is facilitated by adjustment features on the float. The line may be connected to either lateral side of the float to influence movement of the float in opposed directions behind the trolling boat or from the shore. However, to facilitate the change in direction, the float must first be pulled in and the line re-connected by the user.
The Westdahl float also includes a line release arrangement that facilitates release of the float from its normal relatively stationary position along the fish line in response to a "bite" or tug from the bait end of the fish line. Once the float is freed to turn with the current, the line straightens and the float slides along the length of the line toward the bait end.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,277 to Neubert discloses a trolling device with a line release mechanism. This trolling device is used, as are others, for drawing the fishing line to a location substantially "normal to the direction of current flow." A rearward end of the device includes a line release mechanism, and wings to opposed sides of a central vane include holes which the fish line is threaded through. The device will carry the bait out into the current. When a fish strikes the bait, the line will be released and the device will slide freely along the line to facilitate retrieval of the fish.
Either of the selected holes on the side wings of the Neubert device must be used in to facilitate an alternate direction of movement for the device. Once the fish line is secured through one of the holes, the direction is determined and cannot be changed without disconnecting the line and rethreading it through the opposite hole.
Though the above apparatus work to varying degrees, there remains a need for a fish line rudder that will allow a fisherman the alternative of movement in opposed lateral directions with respect to current flow direction, and in which the device will automatically become aligned with the fish line once a fish is hooked to facilitate play and landing of the fish without offering any significant resistance beyond that offered by the fish.